Decorative and Anti-Microbial Combined Greeting Card, Fan, and Candle Extinguisher

ABSTRACT

A combined decorative anti-microbial hand held fan, greeting card, keepsake, and fire retardant candle extinguisher and associated decorative envelope that can be used to help celebrate festive occasions. The fan contains decorative printing and text boxes on which congratulatory messages, date/time/place of the festive occasion, as well as a listing of guests and presents can be written. Anti-microbial copper/alloys are incorporated into the major edges, the handgrip area, and flakes on both sides of the device. In the preferred mode, the fan can be folded along pre-set seams to form a configuration that allows the celebrant to extinguish celebratory candles from the draft created by moving the folded fan quickly in the proximity of the top of the lit candles.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

FEDERAL RESEARCH STATEMENT

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to a combined anti-microbial decorative fan, greeting card with associated decorative envelope, and candle extinguisher that can be used for festive occasions. More specifically, the invention relates to a decorative hand held fan that also functions as a greeting card, keepsake and a safe and health-conscious apparatus for extinguishing candles such as those that would be found on a birthday cake. The decorative hand fan is interspersed and/or lined with small amounts of copper and/or copper alloys, which are well known and effective anti-microbial substances. This invention allows for the time-honored tradition of extinguishing candles at a party, but doing so in health conscious manner. The associated decorative envelope facilitates retention of the device for extended periods of time as a keepsake.

Families, friends, and co-workers celebrate a variety of events throughout the year including birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, academic and athletic achievements, religious events and other important milestones. Often these celebrations involve the presentation of a greeting card signed by the celebrants and specialty food item such as special breads or a cake. Frequently, these specialty food items are adorned with candles, which must be extinguished by the guest of honor.

At such celebrations, the candles are frequently extinguished by the guest of honor blowing on the candles which has the added unpleasant effect of potentially spreading germs over the cake or other specialty food item.

Recently there has been a growing awareness that blowing out candles on a cake is a significant mechanism for spreading germs—especially among school age children. In fact, Australian health officials recently implemented a guideline prohibiting school children from blowing out candles on birthday cakes for that very reason.

In addition, lists of guest and presents they brought are frequently lost thereby introducing a great deal of uncertainty and making thank you cards and e-mails difficult.

The instant invention provides a novel, unique, germ-fighting and fire retardant apparatus and keepsake for recording guests, best wishes, and highlights of a celebration along with a means for extinguishing the candles on a specialty food. In addition, the instant invention contains a special place where a secret wish is contained. The associated decorative envelope facilitates retention of the device for extended periods of time as a keepsake.

Hand held fans are well known in the prior art having been in existence in one form or another for thousands of years. However, the instant invention provides some unique features which are not found in the prior art. The incorporation of anti-microbial copper, copper alloys, or other similar anti-microbial elements or alloys into the instant invention renders it a benefit to public health.

In summary, there are significant health and safety benefits associated with the instant device. Extinguishing candles with a unique and decorative fan rather than blowing them out significantly attenuates the spread of germs. In addition, the incorporation of copper and/or copper alloy into the device further attenuates germs. Finally, the fan itself can be composed of fire retardant paper or other material thereby adding to the overall safety of the product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention is directed toward a device that is a combined anti-microbial decorative fan, greeting card, keepsake, and candle extinguisher that can be used for festive and celebratory occasions. The basic concept of the invention is to present a germ-fighting device that can not only be used to extinguish candles, but which can also be used a commemorative keepsake device showing, for example, date/time/place, lists of attendees, list gifts, and best wishes of attendees. The device further incorporates surfaces sprayed with commercially available fire retardant substance in order to minimize fire damage to the device from the candles.

More specifically, the instant invention relates to a decorative hand fan that also functions as a greeting card and an apparatus for extinguishing candles such as those that would be found on a birthday cake. Furthermore, the device has anti-microbial copper or copper alloys incorporated into the interior and edges of the device to fight germs that can be passed on among groups of people. The invention also includes a decorative envelope with text boxes into which the folded fan can be placed for long term keepsake storage.

The instant invention is comprised of a hand fan 10 that is made of sturdy cardboard, plastic or a similar material. It has at least two seams which allows for folding the fan into a smaller profile which facilitates storing and transporting. Small amounts of copper and/or copper alloy 45 are affixed to both sides of the fan. In addition, there may be copper along the edges 55 and in the area 65 where a hand or fingers generally engage the fan. The fan has decorative printing 50 and/or text boxes on it which allows celebrants and guests to write greetings, list presents, and note the date, time and place of the celebration.

The fan 10 can be used in either a folded or unfolded configuration to extinguish lit candles on, for example, a birthday cake by rapidly moving the folded or unfolded fan at a safe distance over said candles and thereby causing the draft from said motion to extinguish the candles.

The fan has the added benefit of providing a mechanism for extinguishing, for example, candles on a birthday cake without having the celebrant blow the candles out, thereby eliminating a potential source of germs being distributed onto a cake or other specialty food that a group of people will be ingesting.

The incorporation of anti-microbial copper and/or copper alloys into the device renders the device to be a benefit to the health of attendees at the event by attenuating microbes and germs.

The preferred mode for instant invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. These figures depict the instant invention being used during a birthday celebration to extinguish candles.

FIG. 1 shows the front of the invention with birthday greetings, various text boxes where the date/time/place can be written, and an area where various congratulatory messages can be written.

FIG. 2 shows the back of the invention with areas and/or text boxes where people can sign the fan as they would sign a birthday card and an area where the presents and who gave the presents can be listed.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows how the fan can be folded into an aerodynamic shape that allows the celebrant to extinguish the candles by moving the device at a safe distance over the candles and allowing the draft from said motion to extinguish the candles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the front view of the device depicting a slogan and areas and/or text boxes for writing commemorative dates, times, places, etc.

FIG. 2 shows the back view of the device depicting areas and/or text boxes for autographs and signatures and gift lists.

FIG. 3 shows an example of how the folded device would be used in the best mode by a celebrant to extinguish candles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a hand held anti-microbial combined decorative fan, greeting card, keepsake and candle extinguisher that can be used for festive and celebratory occasions. More specifically, the invention relates to a decorative hand fan that also functions as a greeting card, keepsake, and an apparatus for extinguishing candles such as those that would be found on a birthday cake. In addition, a decorative envelope is associated with the present invention. The envelope provides a means for retaining the fan and accompanying guest and present notations for extended periods of time.

Referring to the figures and in particular to FIG. 1, a front view of the device 10 is shown which clearly demonstrates that the device is a hand held fan shaped device with at least one but preferentially two or more folds 30 which allow the device to be folded and stored in a reduced profile thereby allowing for easier packaging, shipment, and storage. The device includes multiple areas and/or text boxes 60 where commemorative items such as attendees, date, time, and place as well as various best wishes can be written. In order to reduce the possibility of the device being accidentally set on fire by burning candles, the surfaces of the device are sprayed or otherwise impregnated with a fire retardant substance.

As with most other fans, the device 10 is designed so that it can be gripped at the narrow end and used for various purposes including extinguishing lit candles on a cake. In order to enhance the health aspects of the present invention, the hand grip area at the narrow end of the fan can be coated with copper or copper alloy 65 or other similar germ fighting material. In addition, small flakes of anti-microbial copper/copper alloy 45 are affixed by gluing or other similar means to both sides of the device. In addition, the edges of the device are reinforced with anti-microbial copper and/or copper alloy 55.

Referring to FIG. 2, a rear view of the device 10 is shown clearly depicting the multiple folds 30 and areas 40 where gifts can be listed and other areas 50 where signatures of attendees can be placed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a preferred method of using the device 10 is shown. In general, a celebrant folds the device 10, grasps the folded device at the narrow end, and moves it back and forth at a safe but effective distance from the lit candles in order to produce sufficient draft to extinguish said candles. The device can also be used in an unfolded configuration.

The preferred mode for use of the instant invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. These figures depict the instant invention being used to celebrate a birthday. FIG. 1 shows the front of the invention with birthday greetings, an area where the date/time/place can be written, and an area where various congratulatory messages can be written. The preferred mode also includes anti-microbial copper/copper alloy edges, hand hold areas, and flakes distributed throughout both sides of the device as well as major surfaces sprayed with a fire retardant substance.

FIG. 2 shows the back of the device containing areas where people can sign the fan as they would sign a birthday card and an area where the presents and who gave the presents can be listed.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows how the fan can be folded into a shape that allows the celebrant to extinguish the candles by moving the device at a safe distance over the candles and allowing the draft from said motion to “blow out” the candles.

While the preferred mode shows how the invention is configured and can be used for a birthday celebration, the invention can be easily adapted for virtually every other type of celebration including graduations, weddings, promotions, retirements, etc.

The preferred mode also shows a fan that can contains two seams that allows the fan to be folded into a configuration that is easier to store and transport as well as a configuration that optimizes the ability of the celebrant to extinguish the candles through the draft created by moving the folded fan at a safe distance above lit candles on a cake. However, the instant invention also comprises the use of fans which do not have any seams and do not require folding in order to extinguish the candles.

A further embodiment of the preferred mode of the invention is to coat the device with a fireproofing chemical or, alternately, make the device out of a fire retardant paper. This facet of the invention serves to minimize the danger inherent in bringing the device into close proximity to burning candles and thereby creating a fire hazard. 

1. A hand held fan that contains surfaces on which decorative designs and text boxes are printed on which various notations can be written.
 2. A hand held fan as in claim 1 wherein said fan contains seams which allow said fan to be folded into a configuration that facilitates storage, transportation, and the process of extinguishing lit candles.
 3. A hand held fan as in claim 1 wherein said fan contains small amounts of anti-microbial copper interspersed throughout the surface of said fan and along the edges of said fan.
 4. A hand held fan as in claim 1 wherein said fan is made of fireproof cardboard.
 5. A hand held fan as in claim 1 wherein said fan is coated with a fireproof chemical.
 6. A hand held fan as in claim 1 and an associated envelope for holding said fan.
 7. A hand held fan as in claim 1 which comprises an area where a secret wish is recorded.
 8. A fireproof, foldable hand held fan interspersed with an antimicrobial substance that contains surfaces on which decorative designs and text boxes are printed on which various notations can be written.
 9. A fireproof, foldable hand held fan as in claim 8 where the antimicrobial substance is copper or a copper alloy.
 10. A combined fireproof, foldable hand held fan interspersed with an antimicrobial substance that contains surfaces on which decorative designs and text boxes are printed on which various notations can be written and associated decorative envelope.
 11. A combined fireproof, foldable hand held fan and associated decorative envelope as in claim 10 where the antimicrobial substance is copper or a copper alloy. 